Works on the Dialysis Centre located at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) has been completed, with patients already registering to utilise the service ahead of its opening.
LHC Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Michelle Bollers in an invited comment explained that the medical institution is now awaiting word from the Health Ministry on the official opening of the centre before services can be offered.
This will be the first time that the service is being offered within the Region and according to Bollers, training for staff has already been completed and machines tested. She said the institution is now hoping to open at the earliest opportunity.
“All of the nurses that would be working in the area have completed their training, the machines were tested and everything, and so now it’s just for us to open the centre and start the operations. I guess with the transitions and so on with the Government, I guess now that we’ve completed the budget also, they will be able to visit the location and then to decide the way forward as to when we open,” the Acting CEO indicated.
Equipment in the new dialysis centre
Bollers explained that patients are already visiting the hospital and have registered to access the service.
“We have 8 applications presently, for persons who are doing dialysis in Georgetown – that they would like to do the dialysis right here in Linden, but we have to fine-tune some things…”, she said.
Bollers noted that persons registered with the hospital are expected to be able to access the service for free while the logistics as it relates to cost are yet to be finalised for walk-in patients. Nevertheless, she said it is hoped that the centre will be up and running by November 1.
With the centre on stream, patients in Region 10 will now be able to have easier access to the service as some have alluded to paying between $25,000 to $30,000 per session for dialysis treatment in Georgetown.
“I feel very, very excited…because I know that with COVID- 19 and persons having to travel to Georgetown without even working and having to go and do dialysis it is kind of difficult. And so having this centre open would be really, really good for the persons in Linden…so that they can save in on some of the costs…It would even be safer for them, because they wouldn’t have to travel in a public transportation where they would be exposed…”
The Acting CEO said the hospital is also looking forward to opening up its CT department which is 50 per cent complete. “That will make healthcare delivery in Region 10 even better for persons living in Region 10,” she said. (Utamu Belle)
